Today we’d like to introduce you to Janiece Birts.
Hi Janiece, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The people who inspired me to take on cosmetology was my mother and sister. My mother wasn’t a cosmetologist, she just naturally knew how to do hair. As a kid, she used to sit us in front of the stove so she can press our hair out. Put curls in it and head to church. She didn’t so it professionally, but it amazed me how good I looked after she was done at the age of four! So as I got older, it stuck with me and I knew I wanted to make people feel confident and look beautiful like my mother made me feel. Now zoom to ten years… my sister (Joshie Marie beauty) started braiding hair on our front porch. She was only 12 or 13 at the time. She was getting paid and the neighborhood kids was at our house every day during the summer! Not only was she getting to the money at a young age, but she was a beast at it. Once she executed the braids she later went on to doing other styles like finger waves, French rolls and pin curls. I sat there and watched my sister learn from scratch and become a self-taught hairstylist. One year my mother got sick. So my sister did hair all summer to help my mother with my school clothes and shoes. I was so thankful but shocked as to how she did all this herself and wasn’t old enough to have a job yet! That alone made me want to be in the hair industry. To see how you can make money, doing something you love, also being creative and putting smiles on people’s faces because you gave them a bit of confidence. My mother and sister inspired me more than they know! My sister owns her own salon now. And now I work out of my own suite. This is what motivated me to do hair and makeup to the best of my ability!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh no, it was not easy! Cosmetology school kicked my butt! Between almost getting kicked out for not letting ppl talk to me any kinda way to having to learn every part of the body like a nurse! Once I got pregnant and had my son, I took two whole years off. He’s now about to be three and I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. You always think people with support you, but they all don’t! You gotta get used to people going to who they want and spending their money how they like for it not to bother you as much with support. But the people who do support the rock out to the fullest! I’ve overcome obstacles I’m sure I’ll run into again, but now I know how to attack the situation with the trial and error I’ve had to learn before.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I do natural hair and makeup. I also sell handmade wigs and regular already made wigs. I sell bundles, closures, frontals, ponytails, clip ins and tape ins. I just produced my very own curly moose and edge control. I don’t wanna stop there though, I’m thinking shampoos and conditioners !!! I would love to have a whole hair care line if God allows!! The thing that sets me apart from others I think is that I’m really quite with the things I have planned. I like to pop out with things before announcing it to the world.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I love YouTube! It’s helped me learn new ways and different ways to learn how to do things. It’s so many different people teaching and I just take one thing from everyone and turn it into my own. Instagram is always my favorite so many platforms and people I admire on there! It’s amazing.
Contact Info:
- Email: Slayybyjayy@gmail.com
- Website: Slayybyjayy.mybigcommerce.com
- Instagram: Slayy_byjayy
- Facebook: Slayybyjayy
Image Credits
Photographer: Duane Thomas company The Thomas Collection Hair and make up: Joshie Marie Beauty
